Technical Abstract:
Forage based livestock production systems occur extensively throughout the southern Great Plains (SPG). However, a period of limited forage availability occurs from late July to early November in the region. In semi-arid regions of Asia, pigeon-pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp) is grown for grain and as a summer forage crop. Little information is available concerning the use and management of pigeonpea in the SPG. A 3-year (1996 to 1998) field study was conducted to determine forage production patterns and grain yield and nutritive value of two short-duration pigeonpea ecotypes, Georgia-2 and ICPL 85010. Total biomass at final harvest in October was 12.6, 6.4, and 9.3 Mg/ha in 1996, 1997 and 1998, respectively. Seed yield also varied with year, ranging from 5.4 Mg/ha in 1996 to 1.2 Mg/ha in 1998. Nitrogen concentration and digestible dry matter at final harvest was 19 and 585 g/kg for the whole plant, 34 and 758 g/kg for leaves, and 9 and 420 g/kg for stems and 26 and 750 g/kg for seed, respectively. Short-duration pigeonpea cultivars evaluated in this study provided high quality forage and grain that could be used to fill the late-summer forage deficit period in forage-based livestock production system.